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US 4,069,643 AGranted
Apparatus and method of packaging large items
AssigneeWilliam E. Young
InventorsWilliam E. Young, Robert O. Wolfelsperger, William R. Pasco
Life of this patent
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AssigneeWilliam E. Young
InventorsWilliam E. Young, Robert O. Wolfelsperger, William R. Pasco
Estimating the term…
This invention discloses a packaging apparatus and method for large size products such as subprimals of meat. The products to be packaged are characterized as often having irregular surfaces and voids which make sealing of the film without wrinkles very difficult, particularly after bringing to a condition of reduced pressure. There is shown apparatus for forming a drape of film from two rolls of film and into this drape of film is advanced the product to be packaged. This drape is formed into a tubular film around the product and with this tube open at both ends. Into these open ends of the tube are moved spreader probes or bars which operate as pairs and are moved away from one another by a pneumatic cylinder which is actuated by appropriate apparatus so that the spreader probes as they move apart cause the film in these ends to be brought to a narrow opening and under a slight stretch. This elongated opening is substantially equally spaced from a theoretical center line of the tubular film. With the probes moved to a condition for stretching the film, the encased product and film are brought in way of a film heater and then are moved to a vacuum chamber whereat the spreader probes are withdrawn from the ends of the package. While and when in this chamber the interior and product are brought to a condition of reduced pressure. While still in the chamber and under the influence of reduced pressure, the elongated ends of the tubular film are heated and sealed so that these ends of film are substantially free of wrinkles. After sealing and with the ends still clamped, the chamber is opened to the atmosphere to allow the film ends to tightly enclose the product. The package is then removed from the vacuum chamber. Large products when packaged by skin packaging apparatus tend to have the film overstretched. This occurs when the product is used to shape and mold a heated film. With the product pushed into the draped film and a tube formed by closing and sealing the rear of the drape, overstretching of the film is eliminated or minimized to tolerable levels so that the resulting package is absent weak portions of film.
A package apparatus for large products which have been irregular surfaces and voids, the apparatus utilizing a film which has sealing capabilities with said apparatus including:
A method for packaging large products which may have irregular surfaces and voids, the method utilizing a film which has sealing capabilities with said method including the steps of providing and delivering to a product enclosing station a tubular portion of film open at both ends;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs: the webs forming a curtain
Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers: filling, closing, or…
Machines, apparatus or devices for, or methods of, packaging articles or materials
Term ended 24 Jan 1995 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This application is closely related to our Application Ser. No. 658,991, filed on Feb. 18, 1976. This application shows the addition of film heating and the retaining closed of the ends of the package after opening of the vacuum chamber to atmosphere. A terminal disclaimer is being filed with this application so that this application is coextensive with the allowed application Ser. No. 658,991.
1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established in the United States Patent and Trademark Office the present invention is believed to be found in the general Class entitled, "Package Making" (Class 53) and in the subclasses thereunder entitled, "methods-with contents treating-vacuum or gas receptacle forming" (subclass 22A) and "with contents material treating-vacuum or inert atmosphere -- includes container forming" (subclass 112A).
FIG. 1 represents a schematic side view of the wrapping and sealing apparatus prior to the presentation and insertion of the product into a formed drape of film;
FIG. 2 represents a schematic side view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 with the product shown in various positions of the package forming and sealing operation;
FIG. 3a represents in a slightly enlarged scale a sectional, fragmentary view of the vacuum chamber and seal bars prior to the presentation of a tubular film wrapped package and showing a local heating means adjacent the upper and lower bar portions;
In the following description and in the claims various details are identified by specific names for convenience. These names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.
The drawings accompanying this specification disclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explanation but it should be understood that structural details may be modified in various respects without departure from the concept of the invention and that the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.
Referring to the diagrammatic views of the film drape and article transfer apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a lower web film feeding supply apparatus generally identified as 51. The lower film supply includes a roll of film 52 resting on a pair of cradle rollers 54 and from this roll the film leads to a first guide roller 56 and thence to and over a second guide roller 58. A pair of dancer arms 60 is pivotally carried by the frame and between the ends of these arms is a freely rotating dancer roller 62 which receives the film from the second roller 58. An actuator in the form of a pneumatic cylinder 64 carries a clevis 66 which is mounted on the end of piston rod 68 of the cylinder 64. A pivot pin 70 connects the dancer arms 60 to the clevis end 66. A deflector roller 72 provides the positioning on the lower extent of film as it is brought to a joining location with the upper film.